The Pantheon

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.

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Axe awoke to find himself laying on a bed inside a Shandian tent, a blanket draped over him. The captain sat up and winced, holding his torso, "Why the hell am I wearing a blanket...?" he muttered, lifting the blanket and looking under, "Oh...that's right," he smiled goofily, "I'm bare ass naked since my clothes got burned off,"

"Yeah, we didn't need to see that,"

"Eh?" Axe turned to see Niri sitting on a cloud chair nearby, "Hey, how long you been there?"

"Since they found you and brought you back to Shandora," Niri replied, rising up from the chair, "Kirsty treated you the best she could, but that wound," she pointed to the cauterized gash on his front, "Either counted as healed already, or there's something weird with it, because it wouldn't go away,"

"If she treated me, how come I'm still sore?"

Niri shrugged, "You look like you went through hell, so even though there's not as many physical marks as wounds, your body's still feeling the fatigue and pain," she walked over and plopped down beside him on his blanket, "What happened out there?"

Axe shook his head, "Some really messed up shit, Niri. You might wanna call the others in here...they need to know what happened and what we're up against,"

-----

Yo-ho-ho-ho...
Yo-ho-ho-ho...
Yo-ho-ho-ho...
Yo-ho-ho-ho...
Yo-ho-ho-ho...

Go and deliver Binks' Sake
Leave it to the sea, to the waves and be carefree
Even the setting sun revels beyond the tides
Its the orbital song of the birds in the sky...

Conis and Suu listened as DJ quietly sang a song with the help of a harp in his hands.

DJ stopped plucking the strings and sighed, "Okay, the harp ain't helping the song, but it's a nice instrument anyway," he placed the harp on a nearby slab of rock, "Thank you for letting me play it, Conis-chan,"

"It's alright," Conis smiled, "What was that song just now?"

"Ah, it was a song I heard awhile back. There was this man who used to sing it with his own crew and I got it burned into my memory," he tapped his forehead, "It's gonna stay there 'til the day I die,"

"Which may be coming sooner than you think," Devon's gruff voice hissed just before DJ felt a hand latch onto the back of his shirt and drag him away from the Skypeian and her pet Sky Fox, "C'mon, Macleod, Niri and Axe wants us all for a big meeting,"

"Don't drag me away in front of a lady!" DJ hissed, "That makes me look like a wuss!"

"You are a wuss, now c'mon! Everyone else is waiting for us,"

-----

After everyone from his crew, Gan Fall and the Shandians came to the tent, Axe explained to them in great detail about his encounter with Tyr. Of course, some details were hard to make out due to the captain's gluttonous eating habits of stuffing his face with food and drink during the explanation, but in the end, he told them what was important. Silence filled the tent afterwards.

Niri was the first to speak up. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, "So, you're telling us, that there's a giant out there with flames shooting out of his sword?!"

Axe nodded, "That,and he's from the New World," he added somberly, "This half of the Grand Line is nothing compared to that place from the stories I heard,"

"What exactly is the New World, though?" Dusty asked, her ears twitching, "I've never really heard of it,"

"The New World-," Axe belched, "Ugh, sorry. The Grand Line, the very ocean we're from, is split up into two parts," he held up two fingers, "The first half, the one we're currently on, is filled with strong people and curious oddities, and is currently ruled over by the Shichibukai,"

Everyone in his crew nodded.

"The second half of the Grand Line is called the New World," Axe continued, "On that half of the ocean, people who are far stronger than anyone on this end dwell there. Based off stories, that is where the true nightmares of the Grand Line come from. This half is ruled by a group of four immensely strong pirates called the Yonkou,"

"The who?" Devon frowned.

"The Four Pirate Emperors," Azu interjected, "I've heard of these guys from old lady Kokoro back home. The Yonkou, this group of four pirates, are so strong, they live doing whatever they please because there's no one that can stand against them. This is one of the Three Powers of the World,"

Dusty moaned and tugged at her hair, "Okay, you're starting to lose me...,"

"There are three major powers in this world," Axe held up three fingers, "There is the World Government, the Shichibukai, and the Yonkou,"

"Oh...," Dusty scratched her head, "I still don' get it,"

Axe groaned and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter right now," Gan Fall stepped in, "What matters is the safety of our people. Axe," he turned to the treasure hunter, "You said this giant had two others with him?"

"Yeah," Axe nodded, "This Tyr freak-o was looking for me when two people, I don't know what they look like because I was hiding, came to him. While I didn't see their faces, I heard two names: Hod and Heimdall,"

A loud clattering sound made everyone turn to see Devon knocking over a collection of bowls nearby. He cursed and shook his head, "Sorry about that. I slipped,"

"Okay, I'm sorry, but I still can't believe that this Tyr guy is as strong as you say he was," Dusty crossed her arms, "Sure, he hurt you, but who hasn't? I mean, look at Roog back at Slayheim!"

Axe frowned and pointed to the remaining half of Rayo's gift to him, "He broke off one of the blades of my axe with just a finger!"

The tent became quiet again.

Gan Fall sighed, "I believe it, given the damage he was to deal Nola. She is not only of monstrous size, but those scales of hers have sustained damage from even Eneru and our Burn Bazookas," he rubbed his chin, "Now, this Tyr and his comrades have Eneru's Enforcers on their side, hm?"

Axe nodded, "Yeah, that's what he said," he said with a yawn.

"Alright, that's enough for now," Kirsty clapped her hands and pointed to the tent flaps, "He still needs to rest up, so everyone out and give him some peace and quiet!"

Murmurs bounced around the group as they left the tent, no doubt they were about Axe's story. The treasure hunter watched his friends leave with the Shandians. When there was only one left inside, he held up a hand, "Devon, wait a moment, please,"

The blonde came to a halt, "Yeah?"

"I've been around long enough to know when someone reacts to certain news," Axe said slowly, pulling his blanket closer to him, "You didn't slip at all, I know that much. Do you know anything about these people?".

Devon shook his head, not even bothering to turn around to face his nakama, "No, not a clue, Cap'n,"

"Devon...,"

"I said I don't know," his First Mate snapped, "Don't you think if I knew anything, I'd come out and say it?! I'm not like you, Axe, I don't keep secrets about important things,"

"Now wait just a damn minute-!"

Devon left the tent.

Axe grit his teeth and lay back, "Sonofabitch...,"

-----

Tyr...Hod...Heimdall, it can't be a coincidence! Devon thought as he stuffed a large backpack with supplies in the night while everyone else slept, If it's true, then that man in my dream was... he shook his head, But what would either of them be doing here in Skypeia?! I don't understand...could these intruders really be them?

After stuffing his pack to the brim with food, water, and other important supplies, Devon pulled the pack over his shoulders and left the tent he was sharing with Austin. Quiet as he could, he headed towards the border of Shandora, heading in the direction that Axe was brought in from Upper Yard. He was about to cross the city's borders when...

"Devon, where the hell do you think you're going, you heard what happened to the others! You saw Axe's wounds!"

The swordsman came to a halt and cursed as Kirsty came up from behind him, a frown on her face. He turned to face her, "I gotta get outta here, Kirst, I gotta go find those guys,"

"Why, because you've lost your mind?!"

"I just have to, alright?!" Devon snapped at her, "I have to!"

The two of the became quiet and listened to nearby night life of the forest. Devon rubbed his forehead, "Look, I'm sorry for that, but I have got to go. I can't say why, but all I can say is that I have questions, questions that need answering!" he turned away and adjusted his pack, "I'm going out there to find answers, Kirsty. You can come with me if you want, but I ain't coming back until I get what I need...,"

Kirsty looked at him, "...is this really that important to you?" she asked quietly, "Is it so important you'd risk your life for answers to whatever questions you have?"

Devon turned to her, a solemn look on his face, "Wouldn't you?"

The doctor was taken back by that question. She looked away for a few moments before turning back to him, "Let me just grab my medical supplies,"

"Leave them," Devon adjusted his pack again, "They may need those, and we don't need that sorta thing weighing us down,"

-----

Somewhere in the dense forest of Upper Yard, in a recently made clearing, Tyr, Hod, and Heimdall stood in front of a large, ornately made tent. The tent had a large symbol that resembled a giant tree with twisting branches on both of the tent's front flaps, the symbol itself divided in half.

Hod knelt down, followed by Heimdall and Tyr, "Lady, we have returned," he greeted loud and clear.

The tent opened and three women stepped outside. They were identical triplets with long brown hair, almond colored eyes, and somewhat pale skin. They each wore tight, black leather suits that hugged both breasts and buttocks. Needless to say, these three would make a man drool at first sight. The three men looked at them.

"Norn Sisters," Heimdall was the first on his feet, "Why did you come in the Lady's place?" he demanded.

The Norn Sisters: Skuld, Belldandi, and Urd, all turned to Heimdall.

"She is currently occupied," the triplets said together, "She has sent us in her stead," they then turned to Tyr, "What happened?"

Tyr growled, "You should know, Norns! I had that boy on the ropes but before I had a chance to take him out for good, I had to come back because-,"

"Because I ordered it so!" a firm female voice called from within the tent, "Tyr, you're lucky to be here at all,"

The giant bowed his head, "Forgive me, Lady, but why? He was nothing!"

Soft footsteps came from within the tent and moments later, the tent opened once again. This time, a beautiful woman with long, dark hair and a perfect body walked out. She wore what appeared to be white battle armor, complete with armored leggings, gauntlets and breastplate with shoulder guards. Around her shoulders, she wore a cloak of falcon feathers that stirred in the wind. Behind her, two shadows stood, swords at their hips.

The Lady looked up at Tyr, "The Sisters told me that even though you were clobbering the boy, he has tremendous strength inside of him,"

"Maybe they were wrong," Tyr growled, glaring at the Norns, who shot identical glares back his way.

"They are not wrong when it comes to the gift given to them," the armored woman looked right into Tyr's eyes, "Believe me, even though he didn't look like it, I'm afraid that he would've beaten you if he was pushed to the limit,"

"B-B-But...,"

She turned to Hod and Heimdall, "Did you see his opponent?"

Both men shook their heads, "No, milady...we did not,"

The woman clicked her tongue and shrugged slightly, "Does not matter. If these people are in our way, we'll come across them sooner or later in combat. We didn't come all this way, away from that man, just to be sent from this paradise of ours!"

"Lady," one of the sisters put a hand on her head, "Two of them have left the others. They are in the forest now...what do we do now?"

"That depends," the woman turned to the Norn, "Who are they?"

"One of them is a girl of decent strength and the other one...," the Norn concentrated for a few seconds, "He is the one! The Champion! It must be him, he's the only other one besides Tyr's opponent with enough strength to challenge us,"

"Is that so?" the woman smiled and turned to the shadows in her tent, "You two and Hod are with me. We'll greet this so called Champion of that old boar and see if we can persuade him to see things from our point of view,"

The two shadows bowed, "Yes, Lady Frigga,"

"What do you wish of us, milady?" Heimdall asked.

"Tyr will stay with the Norns here, and you, Heimdall," Frigga grinned, "Keep an eye on the Champion's friends and little brother. Just in case...,"

Heimdall bowed his head, "As you wish," he acknowledged before disappearing in a blur.

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Kilnorc: Wow...this sure is getting interesting. Who are these people, and what connection do they have with Devon? Stay tuned to find out!

On the next chapter of Homeland...

Devon: I don't know what I'll do when I meet them, but I should at least get some answers from them.

Kirsty: Devon, who are these people? I know you know something about them, I'm not stupid.

Frigga: So, this is the Champion? Kind of cute for his age...

Devon: Impossible! If that's true than that means-!

Legend of Asgard and Almighty God Odin

Devon: What are you two doing here?!